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{{short description|American hermit}} |
{{short description|American hermit}} |
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{{Infobox person |
{{Infobox person |
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|name = Joe Root |
|name = Joe Root |
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|known_for = Well-known hermit who lived in [[Presque Isle State Park]]; lived completely off the land}} |
|known_for = Well-known hermit who lived in [[Presque Isle State Park]]; lived completely off the land}} |
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'''Joseph Root''' (1860 – 29 October 1912) was a well-known [[hermit]] who lived in what is now [[Presque Isle State Park]] in Pennsylvania. Born in [[Erie, Pennsylvania]],<ref name="joerootsgrill">{{cite web| url = http://www.joerootsgrill.com/Frameset.html| title = Basic history of Joe Root| publisher = Joe Roots Grill| date = | access-date = 14 April 2011| archive-date = 17 March 2007| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070317095526/http://www.joerootsgrill.com/Frameset.html| url-status |
'''Joseph Root''' (1860 – 29 October 1912) was a well-known [[hermit]] who lived in what is now [[Presque Isle State Park]] in Pennsylvania. Born in [[Erie, Pennsylvania]],<ref name="joerootsgrill">{{cite web| url = http://www.joerootsgrill.com/Frameset.html| title = Basic history of Joe Root| publisher = Joe Roots Grill| date = | access-date = 14 April 2011| archive-date = 17 March 2007| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070317095526/http://www.joerootsgrill.com/Frameset.html| url-status=usurped}}<!-- The archive link is also useless. I don't know how to mark that. --></ref><ref name="innvista">{{cite web| url = http://www.innvista.com/culture/travel/kingpres.htm| title = King of The Peninsula | publisher = Innvista| date = | access-date = 14 April 2011| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110604225919/http://www.innvista.com/culture/travel/kingpres.htm| archive-date = 4 June 2011| url-status = dead}}</ref>{{better source|date=June 2022}} Root lived on Presque Isle without any modern conveniences.<ref name="goerie">{{Cite news |last=Richards |first=Dave |date=18 March 2010 |title=What was Joe Root, the legendary inhabitant of the peninsula, really like? Ask Brian Akula |newspaper=[[Erie Times-News]] |url=http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100318/ENTERTAINMENT08/303189946 |access-date=11 September 2010 |archive-date=1 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401032147/http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20100318%2FENTERTAINMENT08%2F303189946 |url-status=live }}</ref> |
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He has sometimes been nicknamed "the King of the Peninsula"<ref name="innvista"/> or "the King of Presque Isle".<ref name=GrillClosed/> |
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==Life== |
==Life== |
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===Presque Isle State Park=== |
===Presque Isle State Park=== |
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Root moved away from his childhood home to [[Presque Isle State Park|Presque Isle]] while still in his adolescent years.<ref name="joerootsgrill"/><ref name="innvista"/> |
Root moved away from his childhood home to [[Presque Isle State Park|Presque Isle]] while still in his adolescent years.<ref name="joerootsgrill"/><ref name="innvista"/> He was one of the first permanent inhabitants of the peninsula (Presque Isle wasn't declared an official state park until 1921<ref name="cupper">{{cite book |last= Cupper |first= Dan |title= Our Priceless Heritage: Pennsylvania's State Parks 1893-1993 |year= 1993 |publisher= [[Pennsylvania|Commonwealth of Pennsylvania]], [[Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission]] for [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources|Department of Natural Resources]], Bureau of State Parks |location= [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania]] |isbn= 0-89271-056-X}}</ref>). There was also a [[lighthouse]] keeper who resided at the park during the late 19th century and he often had his tomatoes swiped by Root.<ref name="goerie"/> |
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Root hunted and fished to support himself in the harsh environment{{snd}} he would become fond of raw fish in particular.<ref name="goerie2"/> There was a rumor that a dead cow once washed up on the shore of Presque Isle and Root fed off of it for an entire week.<ref name="goerie2"/> Root also ate local wild plants such as wild [[Typha|cattail]]s, [[Sagittaria|duck potato]]es, [[Nuphar lutea|spatterdock]]s, [[Rice#United_States|rice]], [[blueberry|blueberries]], [[dewberry|dewberries]], and wild [[strawberry|strawberries]].<ref name="goerie"/> |
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Root was a favorite with local children, entertaining them with [[ventriloquism]] and stories about his "friends".<ref name="joerootsgrill"/><ref name="innvista"/> These friends were called the ''Jee-Bees'' (alternatively known as either ''GBs''<ref name="goerie"/> or ''jeebies''<ref name="goerie2"/>); they were |
Root was a favorite with local children, entertaining them with [[ventriloquism]] and stories about his "friends".<ref name="joerootsgrill"/><ref name="innvista"/> These friends were called the ''Jee-Bees'' (alternatively known as either ''GBs''<ref name="goerie"/> or ''jeebies''<ref name="goerie2"/>); they were invisible nature spirits<ref>{{cite web| url = http://prismcomics.org/display.php?id=1842| title = Interview With Sean McGrath |first=Joe |last=Palmer | website = Prism Comics| date = | access-date = 14 April 2011| archive-date = 4 October 2011| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111004094532/http://prismcomics.org/display.php?id=1842| url-status = dead}}</ref> who could accurately predict the [[weather]].<ref name="joerootsgrill"/><ref name="innvista"/> During long winter nights, Root would walk to Erie to spend some time at the local [[poorhouse]].<ref name="goerie2">{{Cite news |last=Massing |first=Dana |date=10 March 2010 |title=Naturalist preserves history with Presque Isle program on Joe Root |newspaper=[[Erie Times-News]] |url=http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100310/NEWS02/303109948/-1/ETN |access-date=15 September 2010 |archive-date=1 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401032244/http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20100310%2FNEWS02%2F303109948%2F-1%2FETN |url-status=dead }}</ref> Locals could sometimes see him walking on State Street with either a [[fishing net]] or a cane pole.<ref name="goerie2"/> |
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===Later life=== |
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One of his business ideas was to build a [[balloon]] [[factory]], and use the [[Westerlies|prevailing westerly winds]] to transport travelers across state lines to [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]], [[New York (state)|New York]].<ref name="joerootsgrill"/><ref name="innvista"/> |
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| ⚫ | Root was committed to the Warren State Hospital for the Insane in [[Warren, Pennsylvania|Warren]], [[Pennsylvania]], on 14 April 1910 after a short stay at an Erie-area poorhouse.<ref name="goerie2 |
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==Legacy== |
==Legacy== |
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Joe Root is remembered in the Erie, Pennsylvania area as a colorful character and something of a symbol of Erie's history. A now-shuttered local restaurant, Joe Root's Grill, whose last day open for business was 30 September 2019, honored his name, as does a winter golf tournament, Joe Root's Frostbite Open (sponsored by |
Joe Root is remembered in the Erie, Pennsylvania, area as a colorful character and something of a symbol of Erie's history. A now-shuttered local restaurant, Joe Root's Grill, whose last day open for business was 30 September 2019, honored his name, as does a winter golf tournament, Joe Root's Frostbite Open (sponsored by local businesses, one of which was the restaurant).<ref name=GrillClosed>{{Cite web|last=Martin|first=Jim|title=Erie's Joe Root's Grill has closed|url=https://www.goerie.com/news/20191001/eries-joe-roots-grill-has-closed|access-date=2021-10-05|website=GoErie.com|language=en|archive-date=5 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211005205847/https://www.goerie.com/news/20191001/eries-joe-roots-grill-has-closed|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://discoverpi.com/events/joe-roots-frostbite-open |title=Joe Root's Frostbite Open |access-date=11 April 2013 |archive-date=14 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130414173640/http://www.discoverpi.com/events/joe-roots-frostbite-open/ |url-status=live }}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Latest revision as of 14:09, 11 September 2024
Joe Root | |
|---|---|
 Root while residing at Presque Isle State Park (circa 1890s) | |
| Born | 1860 Erie, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Died | 1912 (aged 51–52) Warren, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Resting place | Odd Fellow Cemetery (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) |
| Known for | Well-known hermit who lived in Presque Isle State Park; lived completely off the land |
Joseph Root (1860 – 29 October 1912) was a well-known hermit who lived in what is now Presque Isle State Park in Pennsylvania. Born in Erie, Pennsylvania,[1][2][better source needed] Root lived on Presque Isle without any modern conveniences.[3] He has sometimes been nicknamed "the King of the Peninsula"[2] or "the King of Presque Isle".[4]
Life
[edit]Presque Isle State Park
[edit]Root moved away from his childhood home to Presque Isle while still in his adolescent years.[1][2] He was one of the first permanent inhabitants of the peninsula (Presque Isle wasn't declared an official state park until 1921[5]). There was also a lighthouse keeper who resided at the park during the late 19th century and he often had his tomatoes swiped by Root.[3]
Root hunted and fished to support himself in the harsh environment – he would become fond of raw fish in particular.[6] There was a rumor that a dead cow once washed up on the shore of Presque Isle and Root fed off of it for an entire week.[6] Root also ate local wild plants such as wild cattails, duck potatoes, spatterdocks, rice, blueberries, dewberries, and wild strawberries.[3]
Root was a favorite with local children, entertaining them with ventriloquism and stories about his "friends".[1][2] These friends were called the Jee-Bees (alternatively known as either GBs[3] or jeebies[6]); they were invisible nature spirits[7] who could accurately predict the weather.[1][2] During long winter nights, Root would walk to Erie to spend some time at the local poorhouse.[6] Locals could sometimes see him walking on State Street with either a fishing net or a cane pole.[6]
Later life
[edit]Root was committed to the Warren State Hospital for the Insane in Warren, Pennsylvania, on 14 April 1910 after a short stay at an Erie-area poorhouse.[6]
Legacy
[edit]Joe Root is remembered in the Erie, Pennsylvania, area as a colorful character and something of a symbol of Erie's history. A now-shuttered local restaurant, Joe Root's Grill, whose last day open for business was 30 September 2019, honored his name, as does a winter golf tournament, Joe Root's Frostbite Open (sponsored by local businesses, one of which was the restaurant).[4][8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Basic history of Joe Root". Joe Roots Grill. Archived from the original on 17 March 2007. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ a b c d e "King of The Peninsula". Innvista. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
- ^ a b c d Richards, Dave (18 March 2010). "What was Joe Root, the legendary inhabitant of the peninsula, really like? Ask Brian Akula". Erie Times-News. Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ a b Martin, Jim. "Erie's Joe Root's Grill has closed". GoErie.com. Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
- ^ Cupper, Dan (1993). Our Priceless Heritage: Pennsylvania's State Parks 1893-1993. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission for Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of State Parks. ISBN 0-89271-056-X.
- ^ a b c d e f Massing, Dana (10 March 2010). "Naturalist preserves history with Presque Isle program on Joe Root". Erie Times-News. Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2010.
- ^ Palmer, Joe. "Interview With Sean McGrath". Prism Comics. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
- ^ "Joe Root's Frostbite Open". Archived from the original on 14 April 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
